To expect people not to take over my seat on the plane

[WhyNotUsehis]

Warning - RANT

If you can't keep your body within the confines of your seat, then either purchase 2 seats or accept the right of your fellow passengers to drop a guillotine between the seats

Why do I have to spend my flight being constantly hit by passing passengers, stewards and trollies as I'm wedged so tightly up against the aisle armrest that my shoulder is hanging out into the aisle and I'm tilted so much into the aisle that my side/back is in agony

I'm not asking you to give me part of your seat, just allow me to have use of my own

’Built like a brick shithouse’ is the quaint old-fashioned expression, I think. Meaning a man who’s broad and hefty, but not fat. They do exist!

If he was travelling with a woman, the risk should have been a lot less.

In the same situation again, you could say something like “please could you keep your arms and legs within your own seat area as you are making me uncomfortable” and if he then touches you again or you have to move to avoid him doing so, call a steward and tell them “I’ve already asked this gentleman once to stop touching me, is there a way in which one of us can be moved as he’s making me feel uncomfortable”

I overspill on some airline seats. I am of normal BMI and under six feet. My shoulders are wider than the seat back. The newer seats are not big enough for a lot of people of an ordinary size.

Rugby player types.

Flying over to Boston for a rowing event last year, the plane was about 50% rowers. Literally chock-full of large-built but not obese men and women. Most (not all) of them kept their elbows and knees to themselves. It is totally possible, if people are polite and make an effort!

For everyone saying large people should book two seats - is that even possible? I know it sometimes is on US airlines, but with UK or European ones?? I've never seen that option anywhere here, and I used to work for an airline.

Bollocks

Yes, I've travelled with a guy who was 6ft 7 and 20+ stone (did a lot of weights) but he fitted in the seat. It was tight but no spilling over. Budget airline.

You would literally book two seats the same way you book two seats if you were travelling with a companion. There is no limit to the amount of seats you can book, you do have to pay for them though.

In my experience, the second seat would get classed as a no-show as no second person would be checking in, and as airlines overbook all flights there would be a real risk of someone else being allocated my second seat and me losing out on money because tickets are non-refundable. Unless they have changed things in the last few years, which is why I'm asking about it. Have you actually done this yourself? And if so with which airline? Would be useful information to have for my MIL who refuses to travel as she's worried about the lack of space (she's not overweight, just worried about space).

Yes even Ryanair allow it. They call it a comfort seat

I recently had elbow-wars with a woman. I already had my own squirmy child on the window side which is my own issue, but at least not inflicted on anyone else.

She was just met with resistance when she passed beyond the arm rest zone.
She decided to swap with another family member after a while. No capacity issue (both of us are small women that fit) just a chancer.

I appreciate that it's genuinely harder for larger people that don't have the length or width to comfortably accommodate their build, but I don't get any discount for being used as overflow space and compromising my comfort.

Thank you, will look into this more for future travel then!

You’re unlucky this is happening so much.
its not usually possible to buy 2 seats BTW there’s no option in bookings to buy an empty seat without having it assigned to a passenger AND with the rare airlines that do allow a ‘comfort’ seat to be bought easily, there’s no guarantee that it won’t be given away to a passenger on a buy flight/ overbooked flight anyway.

🤷🏼‍♀️

Again, this is not usually possible DH unless it straightforward.
we tried to do it for other reasons.
airlines make money off havin a bum in that seat, luggage charges, food and drinks etc they don’t want to fly planes that are a third empty even if the seat is paid for.
plus - the is a very high chance it WILL be given away anyway.

100% agree OP!
I also try to block them like you did with your tablet.
Also, I move a lot, for ex if there is a leg in my space I’ll keep moving my legs around / up&down etc bumping into them every time (gently, but still annoying enough that they will often retreat to their own space).

I feel your pain. I recently spent almost 8 hours on a flight wedged in next to someone who spilled over into my seat and had his leg wedged up against mine.

Wary of confrontation? you weren't in a dark alley, you were on a plane, a polite 'could you keep to your seat' would suffice, if he's cheeky call the flight attendant.
Being assertive isn't confrontational.

I thought you were speaking metaphorically at first.

Do you mean you literally balanced your tablet sideways on the arm rest to act as a barrier?

That is INCREDIBLY passive-aggressive. I suspect he found it hilarious and unfortunately he probably annoyed winding you up from that point forward.

This gives me the rage as well. I once flew back wearing shorts with the man next to me's bare leg pressing up against mine all the way back.

@BettyBardMacDonald I'm chuckling to myself imagining the Football Association getting involved mid flight 😂
Then I realised you meant flight attendant.
Not enough tea obviously

You need to phone the airline as they all have different processes for doing this and from experience you usually have to check in in person rather than online.
We have booked 3 seats for one person with European airlines when DH had a knee injury and had to sit with his leg across 3 seats.

Yanbu
Being deliberately inconsiderate and invading someone else's space resulting is just plain rude not to mention infuriating.
Part of the issue is plane seats, train seats are generally too small unless in first class.
I hate it when seat in front is reclined so someone is virtually laying in my lap making it difficult for me to to get up and leave my seat go to loo- but planes seats are engineered this way!!
Seat invaders are often men, stretching legs out etc with little concept of anyone else's space.
I do feel sorry for larger people who just don't fit into the seat, although my heart will sink if I'm squeezed next to them, but zero tolerance for people who choose to invade your space

It's not always men but probably 95% of the time it is...

I had this last week on the train home (2 hour journey). Man decides he wants to sleep so starts leaning over completely onto my seat and eventually onto me. I'm 7 months pregnant. I had to elbow him off and give him the dirtiest look I could muster. Some people are just inconsiderate.

Also the ones who have their stuff spread across two seats even when the other seat has been reserved. And the ones who slam down the middle armrest before you've even settled and hit you with it like I have been (narrowly missing my bump).